Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

August 27, 2020

Effectiveness of Surgical, KF94, and N95 Respirator Masks in Blocking SARS-CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 7 Patients

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  • Kim et al. detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA by PCR on petri dishes placed in front of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in 3/7 patients who coughed while wearing a surgical mask, but in 0/7 petri dishes from similar experiments with the same patients wearing N95 masks and similar KF94 masks. Additionally, researchers detected viral RNA in swabs from both the inner and outer surfaces of the surgical masks, but only in the inner surfaces of the N95 and K94 masks. These findings support a conclusion that N95 and KF94 masks effectively block SARS-CoV-2 viral particles from patients who are coughing, and that surgical masks are less effective.

Kim et al. (Aug 26, 2020). Effectiveness of Surgical, KF94, and N95 Respirator Masks in Blocking SARS-CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 7 Patients. Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2020.1810858